Dec 20, 2009

Odour of Chrysanthemums | Part 1 Summary - Waiting

‘‘Odour of Chrysanthemums’’ focuses on a dramatic moment in the life of Mrs. Elizabeth Bates, the accidental death of her husband, Walter Bates. The story develops in three major stages.

Part I—Waiting
The story begins with a description of the sights and sounds of a bleak mining village at the end of the mine’s afternoon shift. Mrs. Bates calls her son, John, in for the evening meal and provides a light snack for her father, a train driver, while chiding her daughter, Annie, about being late from school. She is also upset because her husband is not home...